Wall hanging scaffold

ABSTRACT

The wall hanging scaffold includes a pair of vertical support poles, which hang from top plate attachment brackets along the wall of a building structure. Each pole has a rigid, monolithic, triangulated brace removably and vertically adjustably secured thereto, with a support platform extending across the braces. Additional safety structure, i.e., safety posts, may be installed in the outboard ends of the braces, with safety rails being installed across the safety posts. A pulley may also be placed in the upper end of a safety post for lifting material and equipment up to the scaffold from the underlying surface. A diagonal brace(s) may be secured to one or more of the upper top plate hanger brackets to relieve stress on the otherwise unbraced wall due to the scaffold resting thereon during construction. The scaffold may remain in place up to closure of the eaves and soffit of the structure.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates generally to scaffolds and similarsupports for use in building construction, maintenance, and repair. Moreparticularly, the present invention relates to a scaffolding assemblythat may be hung or suspended from the top plate of a wall for useduring construction of a building.

2. Description of the Related Art

Scaffolding and similar supports are universally used in theconstruction, maintenance, and repair of various building structureswhere it is necessary to work above ground level. Typically, scaffoldsare supported by the underlying surface, which may lead to variousproblems in leveling and stabilizing the scaffold. As a result, somescaffolds have been constructed to hang from some portion of thestructure in order to avoid the need for ground support.

Of these various structure-supported scaffolds, many attach temporarilyto the roof of the completed, or nearly completed, structure and, as aresult, require some means of clearing the outwardly extended eaves ofthe roof. Other wall supported scaffolding uses permanent anchors tosecure to the completed wall structure. A few devices have beenconstructed for suspension from the top plate of a building structure,but most such devices have very little vertical span from their upperends and the platform supports, and no vertical adjustment. Thus, theycan only be used for work along the lower edge and eaves of the roof, asthere is insufficient clearance between the eaves and the platform forworkers. Where vertical height adjustment is provided for the platformin such top plate suspended scaffolds, relatively cumbersome, multiplepiece braces are used, which are difficult to assemble in place alongthe vertical wall of a building structure.

One such building supported scaffold structure is shown in InternationalPatent Publication No. WO 94/17,264 published on Aug. 4, 1994. Thispublication describes (according to the drawings and English abstract) aroof-mounted support with a cantilever structure extending outwardlytherefrom. An adjustably extendable beam extends from the roof-mountedstructure, with a scaffold-supported pulley depending therefrom. Nomeans is apparent for suspending the device from the top plate of awall.

None of the above inventions and patents, taken either singly or incombination, is seen to describe the instant invention as claimed. Thus,a wall hanging scaffold solving the aforementioned problems is desired.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The wall hanging scaffold is configured for suspension from the topplate of the wall of a structure under construction. The wall may befinished or unfinished, and the upper support is configured to providefor removal with the roof structure and sheathing in place. A pair ofspaced apart vertical support poles extends downwardly along the wall,with each pole having a rigid, monolithic triangular brace removablyinstalled thereto. The braces, in turn, support a horizontal platformthereacross, with no requirement for any form of support from theunderlying surface. The braces may be adjustably installed on thesupport poles in order to position the platform at the desired workingheight.

A number of additional features may be incorporated into the wallhanging scaffold. Provision is made for additional bracing within thebuilding structure, to preclude undue outward loads on an otherwiseunsupported wall during construction. Moreover, the scaffold may includesafety posts that may support safety rails, and which may also support awinch pulley to facilitate the lifting or raising of material andequipment from the underlying surface to the scaffold.

These and other features of the present invention will become readilyapparent upon further review of the following specification anddrawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is an environmental, perspective view of a wall hanging scaffoldaccording to the present invention, showing its operation and use.

FIG. 2 is a detailed perspective view of a single upper, top platehanger bracket used with the present scaffold.

FIG. 3 is a side elevation view of the present scaffold, showing theaddition of a diagonal internal building structure brace to precludeundue lateral stresses on the wall.

FIG. 4 is a detailed perspective view of the lower standoff for one ofthe vertical support poles, with an optional additional support poleshown depending therefrom in broken lines.

Similar reference characters denote corresponding features consistentlythroughout the attached drawings.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS

The present invention comprises a wall hanging scaffold assemblyconfigured for hanging or suspending from the top plate of a wall duringconstruction. The device may include various additional features, suchas a safety post and railing assembly, one or more winch pulleys,additional bracing, and/or means for suspending additional scaffoldingfrom the topmost assembly, if so desired.

FIG. 1 provides an environmental perspective view of a hanging scaffoldassembly 10 of the present invention, supported from the top plate T ofa wall W of a structure under construction. The scaffold 10 includes afirst and a second top plate hanger bracket, respectively 12 and 14 (thefirst bracket 12 is illustrated in FIGS. 2 and 3), from whichcorresponding first and second scaffold poles 16 and 18 depend. Each ofthe poles 16 and 18 in turn supports a rigid, monolithic triangularplatform support brace, respectively 20 and 22, which support one ormore removable scaffold worker support platforms 24 thereacross,generally as shown in FIG. 1.

FIG. 2 provides a detailed perspective view of an exemplary top platehanger bracket, e.g., the first bracket 12. It will be understood thatthe two brackets 12 and 14 are identical and interchangeable betweentheir first and second positions, as desired. The brackets 12 and 14 areeach formed of a tubular vertical member 26, with a tubular horizontalmember 28 extending from one end thereof. A plate or wall-gripping angle30 extends from the distal end of the horizontal member 28 to hook overthe top plate T opposite the vertical member 26 to capture the wall Wbetween the angle 30 and vertical member 26. The two components 26 and28 may be formed of square or round cross section stock, as desired, andmay be formed of steel, aluminum, or other suitable material as desired.

The angle 30 is formed of a compatible material to that used for theother two components 26 and 28. The angle 30 may be elongated, with oneflange attached medially to the distal end of horizontal member 26 andthe other flange depending from the distal end of horizontal member,presenting elongated surfaces for greater surface area contact with thetop and inner faces of the top plate T, thereby assuring that verticalmember 26 is supported normal to, and offset from, the top plate T. Thethree components 26 through 30 may be welded together, as shown in FIG.2, or otherwise permanently and securely fastened together, as desired.

Each of the vertical members includes at least one (preferably two)hole(s) formed laterally therethrough, for the installation of bolt(s)32, hitch pins, etc. for the removable attachment of the upper end ofthe corresponding scaffold pole thereto. The scaffold poles are alsopreferably formed of a suitable metal material, e.g., steel or aluminum,and are formed or shaped to fit closely within the interior shape orpassage of the vertical members 26 of the top plate or wall hangers 12and 14.

Each of the horizontal members 28 of the hangers 12 and 14 also includesa passage 34 formed laterally through its distal end. This passage 34may be used for different purposes, with one purpose being to lift orpull the scaffold assembly into place over a previously raised wallstructure. To accomplish this, a hitch pin 36, or bolt, etc., isinserted through the passage 34 and a rope R, or cable, etc., is securedto the pin 36. The rope R is passed over the top plate T of the wall Wand used to pull the scaffold assembly 10 into position from theopposite side of the wall W. The scaffold assembly 10 may be positivelysecured in position by a nail N (FIG. 3) or other suitable fastenertemporarily driven into the top plate T through a nail hole 38 formedthrough the top plate grip angle

The passage 34 may also be used for the temporary attachment of adiagonal brace thereto. FIG. 3 illustrates the attachment of a diagonalbrace 40 to the installed wall hanging scaffold assembly 10 to brace theotherwise poorly supported wall W while construction is underway. InFIG. 3, the scaffold assembly 10 is supported by the top plate T of thewall W, with the vertical member 26 and a portion of the horizontalmember 28 of the top plate hanger bracket 12 and corresponding scaffoldpole 16 being suspended over or along the outer side of the wall W. Theoutward load of the scaffold assembly 10, along with any workers and/orequipment thereon, could produce a sufficient outward load on the wall Wto pull the wall W down in its unsupported state before construction hasbeen completed. Accordingly, a diagonal brace 40, comprising an angle,tube, or other suitable stock of aluminum, steel, or other suitablematerial, is pinned to the distal end of the hanger bracket horizontalmember 28 and extended downwardly and inwardly into the building andsecured temporarily to the floor or subfloor F of the structure. A hinge42 may be bolted, welded, or otherwise secured to the distal end of thediagonal brace 40, to adjust for different angles of the brace 40according to the height of the top plate T above the floor F. One ormore nails N or other suitable fasteners may be driven through one ormore of the conventional holes provided in the free leaf of the hinge42, to secure the brace 40 temporarily in place.

FIG. 3 also illustrates the attachment of the platform support brace 20to its corresponding scaffold pole 16. Each platform support brace 20and 22 comprises a vertical member 44 disposed parallel to itscorresponding scaffold pole 16 or 18 when the brace is installedthereon, and a horizontal member 46 and diagonal member 48 extendingaway from the wall W when the scaffold assembly is installed thereon.The vertical member 44 is disposed between the first end 50 of thehorizontal member 46 and the opposite first end 52 of the diagonalmember 48, with the first end 54 of the vertical member 44 beingpermanently and immovably affixed (welded, etc.) to the first end 50 ofthe horizontal member 46, and the opposite second end 56 of the verticalmember 44 being permanently and immovably affixed to the first end 52 ofthe diagonal member 48. The opposite distal second ends 58 and 60 of thehorizontal and diagonal members 46 and 48 are permanently and immovablyaffixed to one another, to complete the rigid, monolithic, triangularperiphery of each of the platform support braces 20 and 22. Anadditional intermediate horizontal brace member 62 may be installedbetween the vertical member 44 and the diagonal member 48 to providefurther rigidity to the platform support braces 20 and 22, and also toserve as a step for workers using the scaffold assembly 10 (the bracemember 62 may have a non-skid material applied thereto, as desired).

The various components 44, 46, 48, and 62 may be formed of square orround tubular metal stock (e.g., steel, aluminum, etc.), and/or mayalternatively be formed of angle stock, as desired. The first ends 50and 52 of the horizontal and diagonal members 46 and 48 each include anattachment bracket, respectively 64 and 66, extending therefrom. Thebrackets 64 and 66 each comprise a generally U-shaped component or yoke,which fits around three sides of the corresponding scaffold pole whenthe platform support brace is installed thereon. Each scaffold pole 16and 18 includes a series of platform height adjustment holes 68therethrough (shown in FIG. 3), allowing each of the platform supportbraces 20 and 22 to be installed upon the corresponding scaffold pole 16and 18 at the desired height. A hitch pin 36 or the like, similar to thepin 36 shown in FIG. 2, may be inserted through the support bracebrackets 64 and 66 and desired height adjustment holes 68 of thescaffold poles 16 and 18 to lock the braces 20 and 22 at the desiredheight or position on the two poles, as shown in FIG. 4.

The present wall hanging scaffold assembly 10 may be temporarilyinstalled upon walls of various thicknesses, as desired. The lengths ofthe horizontal members 28 of the hanger brackets 12 and 14 arepreferably sufficiently long as to span an eight-inch thick wall, ifnecessary, and may be made even longer if so desired. However, it willbe recognized that the top plate grip angle 30 of the top plate hangerbracket abuts the interior edge of the top plate T, and thus thevertical member 26 of the hanger bracket is spaced somewhat away fromthe exterior surface of the wall in the case of thinner walls.

Accordingly, first and second lower wall standoff assemblies 70 and 72are provided for attachment to the distal lower ends of thecorresponding scaffold poles 16 and 18 in order to position the twopoles substantially parallel to the wall W. FIG. 4 provides a detailedillustration of the first standoff assembly 70. Each standoff assembly70 and 72 comprises a removable tubular component 74 configured to fitclosely about the lower end of the corresponding scaffold pole, with astandoff bracket 76 extending therefrom and toward the wall when theassemblies 70 and 72 are properly attached to their poles 16 and 18. Thestandoff bracket 76 may be formed of angle stock or other suitablematerial as desired. Additional reinforcement plates 78 may be installedbetween the tube or pipe 74 and the standoff bracket angle 76, asrequired. A fastener hole 80 is provided for nailing or otherwisesecuring a spacer block B (shown in FIG. 1) to the bracket 76 asrequired, depending upon the thickness of the wall W upon which thescaffold assembly 10 is installed.

The tubular component 74 is preferably sufficiently long as to providefor the insertion of the end of an additional scaffold pole therein, asindicated by the secondary scaffold pole 16 a shown in broken lines inFIG. 4. In this manner, the present scaffold assembly may be extended tocover multiple stories of a building under construction, if so desired.The secondary pole 16 a may be removably secured to the standoffassembly 70, and the standoff assembly 70 may be removably secured tothe lower end of the first scaffold pole 16 by means of hitch pins 36,similar to the hitch pin 36 illustrated in FIG. 2. Bolts or othersuitable fasteners may be used alternatively.

The present wall hanging scaffold 10 may include additional safety andconvenience features, as well. FIG. 1 illustrates the installation offirst and second safety posts 82 and 84 in the distal ends of the twoscaffold platform braces 20 and 22. Each brace 20 and 22 includes avertically oriented safety post socket 86 extending from the distaljoined ends of the horizontal member 46 and diagonal member 48, oppositethe corresponding scaffold poles 16 and 18 when the scaffold 10 isassembled. The safety posts 82 and 84 are deployed vertically in thecorresponding sockets 86, and secured therein e.g., by a hitch pin orthe like, as in other attachments used in the assembly of the presentscaffold 10. Each of the posts 82 and 84 includes at least one (andpreferably a plurality of) safety rail bracket(s) 88 extendingtherefrom, providing for the removable placement of a correspondingnumber of safety rails S thereacross.

Either or both of the safety posts 82 and 84 may have a pulley 90 placedthereatop, if so desired. The pulley 90 includes a plug base extendingfrom its sheave, with the plug base being removably inserted into theupper end of the safety post 82 and/or 84. The pulley 90 facilitates thelifting of materials and equipment from the surface below the scaffoldplatform 24, up to the scaffold platform 24 and working height.

In conclusion, the present wall hanging scaffold assembly greatlyfacilitates the erection and installation of scaffolding on a buildingunder construction. The relatively small size of the hanger componentsallows them to be placed in position and to remain in place untilconstruction is well along, up to the point where the eaves must beclosed in. The present wall hanging scaffold is also quite versatile,with provision for additional lengths for multiple story installationsand for adjusting the height of the platforms along the verticalscaffold poles. The rigid, monolithic construction of the triangularplatform support braces also facilitates assembly at the worksite, yetthe entire scaffold structure disassembles for storage in a relativelycompact area. Accordingly, the present wall hanging scaffold will proveto be a most popular tool among contractors and others who have need ofsuch a device.

It is to be understood that the present invention is not limited to theembodiments described above, but encompasses any and all embodimentswithin the scope of the following claims.

1. A wall hanging scaffold, comprising: a first and a second top platehanger bracket; a first and a second scaffold pole respectivelydepending from each said hanger bracket; and a rigid, monolithic,triangulated platform support brace removably and adjustably secured toeach said scaffold pole, and extending outwardly therefrom, the basebeing adapted for receiving at least one scaffold platform.
 2. The wallhanging scaffold according to claim 1, wherein each said platformsupport brace comprises: a vertical member disposed parallel to saidscaffold pole when said platform support brace is installed thereon,said vertical member having a first end and a second end opposite thefirst end; a horizontal member extending normal to said scaffold polewhen said platform support brace is installed thereon, said horizontalmember having a first end permanently affixed to the first end of saidvertical member and a distal second end opposite the first end; and adiagonal member permanently affixed to the second end of said verticalmember and the distal second end of said horizontal member, andextending therebetween.
 3. The wall hanging scaffold according to claim2, wherein said vertical, horizontal, and diagonal members are fixedlength members joined to each other by welds in order to form a rigidtriangular brace.
 4. The wall hanging scaffold according to claim 2,wherein each said platform support brace further includes anintermediate horizontal brace and step member extending between andpermanently affixed to said vertical member and said diagonal member. 5.The wall hanging scaffold according to claim 1, further including alower wall standoff removably secured to each said scaffold poleopposite said hanger bracket.
 6. The wall hanging scaffold according toclaim 5, further including a scaffold pole extension removably securedto and depending from each said lower wall standoff.
 7. The wall hangingscaffold according to claim 1, further including: a vertically disposedsafety post removably attached to and extending upwardly from each saidplatform support brace, opposite the corresponding said scaffold pole;and at least one safety rail removably attached to and extending betweeneach said safety post.
 8. The wall hanging scaffold according to claim7, further including a pulley removably installed atop at least one saidsafety post.
 9. The wall hanging scaffold according to claim 1, whereineach said top plate hanger bracket and corresponding said scaffold poleare adapted for being suspended along the outer side of a wall of astructure having a floor extending to the inner side of the wall, thescaffold further including a diagonal brace removably secured to andextending from at least one said top plate hanger bracket and adaptedfor being removably anchored to the floor.
 10. The wall hanging scaffoldaccording to claim 1, wherein at least said first and second top platehanger bracket, said first and second scaffold pole, and each saidplatform support brace are formed of materials selected from the groupconsisting of steel angle and tube stock, and aluminum angle and tubestock.
 11. A wall hanging scaffold, comprising at least: a first and asecond scaffold pole; a rigid, monolithic, triangulated platform supportbrace removably and adjustably secured to each said scaffold pole andextending outwardly therefrom, each said platform support bracecomprising: a vertical member disposed parallel to said scaffold polewhen said platform support brace is installed thereon, said verticalmember having a first end and a second end opposite the first end; ahorizontal member extending normal to said scaffold pole when saidplatform support brace is installed thereon, said horizontal memberhaving a first end permanently affixed to the first end of said verticalmember and a distal second end opposite the first end; and a diagonalmember permanently affixed to the second end of said vertical member andthe distal second end of said horizontal member, and extendingtherebetween, the members being fixed length members joined to eachother by welds.
 12. The wall hanging scaffold according to claim 11,wherein each said platform support brace further includes anintermediate horizontal brace and step member extending between andpermanently affixed to said vertical member and said diagonal member.13. The wall hanging scaffold according to claim 11, further includingat least one support platform removably disposed upon each said platformsupport brace and extending therebetween.
 14. The wall hanging scaffoldaccording to claim 11, further including: a first and a second top platehanger bracket disposed atop said first and second scaffold pole,respectively; and a lower wall standoff removably secured to each saidscaffold pole opposite said hanger bracket.
 15. The wall hangingscaffold according to claim 14, further including a scaffold poleextension removably secured to and depending from each said lower wallstandoff.
 16. The wall hanging scaffold according to claim 11, furtherincluding: a vertically disposed safety post removably attached to andextending upwardly from each said platform support brace, opposite thecorresponding said scaffold pole; and at least one safety rail removablyattached to and extending between each said safety post.
 17. The wallhanging scaffold according to claim 16, further including a pulleyremovably installed atop at least one said safety post.
 18. The wallhanging scaffold according to claim 11 wherein each said top platehanger bracket and corresponding said scaffold pole are adapted forbeing suspended along the outer side of a wall of a structure having afloor extending to the inner side of the wall, the scaffold furtherincluding: a first and a second top plate hanger bracket disposedrespectively atop said first and second scaffold pole; and a diagonalbrace removably secured to and extending from at least one said topplate hanger bracket and adapted for being removably anchored to thefloor.
 19. The wall hanging scaffold according to claim 11, furtherincluding a first and a second top plate hanger bracket disposedrespectively atop said first and second scaffold pole, at least saidfirst and second top plate hanger bracket, said first and secondscaffold pole, and each said platform support brace being formed ofmaterials selected from the group consisting of steel angle and tubestock, and aluminum angle and tube stock.